Media invited to Destiny bus stops in West Jefferson, Wilkesboro and Boonville

CHAPEL HILL – Media representatives are invited to experience hands-on science aboard Destiny, one of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s two traveling science laboratories, when it visits Ashe County High School, Wilkes Central High School and Starmount High School next week.

Tuesday (May 8)8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. 1:40 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Ashe County High School184 Campus Drive, West Jefferson
Students from two of Michelle Benigno’s biology classes will perform a lab exercise called “Case of the Crown Jewels.” Students will assume the role of forensic scientists and perform DNA restriction analysis (popularly known as DNA fingerprinting) to analyze drops of “blood” and other kinds of evidence found at crime scenes as they determine which suspects are guilty or innocent.

Wednesday (May 9)11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. 1:20 p.m. to 2:55 p.m. Wilkes Central High School1179 Moravian Falls Road, Wilkesboro
Students from two of Marian Marley’s chemistry classes will perform a lab exercise called “Mystery of the Crooked Cell.” Students will discover the molecular basis of sickle cell disease by using gel electrophoresis as a diagnostic tool to differentiate normal hemoglobin from hemoglobin found in individuals with sickle cell disease.

Thursday (May 10)7:55 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. 9:40 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. 1:25 p.m. to 2:55 p.m. Starmount High School2916 Longtown Road, Boonville
Students from two of Becky Bryant’s biology classes, one of her honors biology and allied health classes, and one of Luann Brown’s allied health classes will also perform “Mystery of the Crooked Cell,” as described above.

The Destiny traveling science learning program is Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s formal science education initiative serving pre-college teachers and students across North Carolina. Destiny develops and delivers a standards-based, hands-on curriculum and teacher professional development with a team of educators and a fleet of vehicles that travel throughout the state.

Destiny and Discovery, two custom-built, 40-foot, 33,000-pound buses, bring the latest science and technology equipment to students who otherwise would not see a high-tech laboratory or what a career in science can offer. The modules described above are among 13 offered as part of Destiny’s curriculum. “Case of the Crown Jewels” and “Mystery of the Crooked Cell” are developed from Boston University School of Medicine CityLab modules. All of Destiny’s modules are aligned with the N.C. Standard Course of Study.

The science buses are powerful visual images that heighten public awareness of the importance of and funding necessary for quality science education. The Destiny program first hit the road in 2000.